The Hague/New Delhi: The 2024 OPCW The Hague award was conferred upon the Indian Chemical Council (ICC) at a ceremony during the 29th session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at The Hague on November 25.
The award was conferred in the presence of delegates from the 193 States Parties and experts from the global chemical industry from around the world, a statement from the Indian Embassy, The Hague, said.
This is the first time that the award recognises the efforts of a chemical industry body.
The Director General of OPCW, Ambassador Fernando Arias, and the Mayor of the Municipality of The Hague, Jan Van Zanen, presented the award.
D. Sothi Selvam, Director General ICC, received the award on behalf of the council. The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the OPCW and the Chairperson of India’s National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) were also present during the award ceremony.
OPCW is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, with a mission to achieve a world free of chemical weapons. India is an original signatory to the Convention. NACWC is the national authority responsible for implementing the convention in India.
As India’s premier body representing the chemical industry, ICC represents more than 80 percent of Indian chemical industry which is valued at $220 billion.
This award acknowledges the role played by ICC in promoting chemical safety, compliance with the Convention, and enhancing industry-wide security practices in India.
